Home canning smoked fish PublicDeposited

Published March 1993. Reprinted August 2001. A more recent revision exists from University of Idaho. Please check for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog

Smoked fish is considered a delicacy in the Pacific Northwest. Whether caught or purchased, fish can be smoked successfully at home. Once smoked, fish has a short shelf life. Even refrigeration won’t guarantee that smoked fish will stay safe to eat. The bacteria that cause botulism food poisoning could start to grow after 2 to 3 weeks of refrigeration.
For long-term storage, smoked fish must be frozen or canned. Canning is preferred by many who smoke fish at home. Smoked fish must be processed in a pressure canner to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores.